Thank you so much to my three lovely reviewers: EmmyMK, britt and AlishaofTroy :) I know Talbert isn't in a lot of fanfics, so I thought he deserved a little love ;) Anyways, enjoy this chapter, and let me know what you think :) D. V. x


Fatigue

Sobel stood in front of the columns of men, leaning in close to Winters, sneering in his face. Emily felt her eyelids drooping, and shook her head to try and keep herself awake. Every Friday night they were made to march 12 miles, full pack, in the pitch dark. Emily didn't know how much more of it she could take.

She was exhausted, physically and emotionally. She hadn't seen her family in weeks… but that done her more good than bad.

Her train of thought was severed when she felt herself slip into unconsciousness. Shifty Powers caught her just in time.

"Miss Wade… you okay?" Gene rushed over to find Emily slumped in Shifty's arms.

"What happened?" he knelt down beside her and laid a hand upon her forehead. "She's got a fever…"

Gene lifted his head up to find Sobel marching furiously towards him, like a steam train with no intentions of stopping.

"What is the meaning of this?" he shouted.

"It's Emily, sir," Gene replied meekly. "She's sick."

"Sick?" Sobel sneered. "Or just weak? Women don't belong here, Roe, no exceptions." Sobel turned on his heel and stomped off triumphant.

Eugene stared after him, Emily's head still in his hands. How could he do this to her? he thought angrily. She's only seventeen… Gene looked down towards her gentle, moonlit face. She doesn't deserve this.

He slid an arm round her shoulders and another under her legs. He shakily rose to his feet and turned to face Winters.

"Permission to leave, sir." He could see the pity so evident in Winters' face.

"Granted."

"Thank you, sir." Winters smiled weakly at the young man with a young woman unconscious in his arms.

Sobel was hard on all the men, but most of all, on Emily. He seemed almost determined on crushing her gentle spirit. Winters did what he could, cutting her some slack, not giving Emily her fair share of latrine duty, and making sure she did the washing up on a day when they weren't serving mushroom soup for lunch. And as if the other men would be jealous of her, they felt the same way about Emily as Winters did, and it made them hate Sobel all the more.

Doc Roe turned, and began walking shakily towards the huts were they had resided for the past couple of weeks. Her skin felt warm, even through her thick clothes, and Gene hoped, prayed, that she'd be okay.

"Come on, Em," he whispered. "You can do this, you're strong…"

Emily opened her eyes, the bright light making her wince. She moaned and rolled onto her side. She felt a gentle hand clasp her own.

"Morning." She looked up the find the bright eyed Cajun smiling at her. "Feeling any better?"

"Yeah, thanks…" she sat up and propped herself up against the pillow at the head of her bed. "What happened to me?" Her throat felt dry and her head was pounding.

"You fainted." Emily laughed softly.

"Yes, I know that," she smiled. "But why?"

"You're exhausted… Sobel's been too hard on you." Emily shook her head.

"He's treated me just the same as the rest of the guys."

"No he hasn't and you know it. You work twice as hard as the rest of us, Em. I was…" Gene paused. "I was really worried about you…"

Emily looked at Eugene Roe and smiled. He always looked out for her, always made sure she was okay. He must have felt scared, she knew she did, and after all, he was only two years older than her. Eugene Roe was the brother she'd never had, but always wanted.

Emily sat alone on a bench, in a room full of people she didn't know. Occasionally she glanced up only to be met by curious stares and whispers.

"A woman?" they said. "Why is she here?" Yes. Why am I here? she thought. Why did I sign up for this? She glanced around nervously. As if I'll ever fit in… And she'd thought starting a new school was daunting.

A young man, with dark hair and gentle eyes sat down beside her on the bench.

"You a medic too?" he asked, a smile finding its way onto his handsome face. Emily nodded. He held out his hand. "Eugene Roe." She took his hand and shook it gently.

"Emily Wade."

"You with second?" Emily nodded again. "I'm with first."

"Hey… Roe!" a shout came from across the room. Eugene glanced round, and turned back to face Emily. He smiled warmly.

"Well, I'd better go. It was nice meeting you, Miss Wade."

"And you," Emily smiled back at him. He got up and left.

Well, she thought, at least now I know someone.

Emily's smile really was beautiful. How many hearts has she broken with that smile? Eugene had thought on more than one occasion. She was the sort of person that no matter how many times you pushed her down, she'd get back up again. So many men hadn't been able to cope with Sobel, but Emily had, and everyone knew that annoyed Sobel more than anything. Emily Wade was the younger sister he never had, but always wanted.

Sobel burst through the door, closely followed by Evans. Emily leaped out of bed and stood beside Eugene at the end of it. Sobel marched up the middle of the room, glaring at the men as he passed them. He stopped at Emily.

"Feeling better, Miss Wade?" he mocked.

"Yes, sir, thank you, sir."

"Good…" he marched back towards the door of the hut and turned to face the men. "Listen up! We move out in half an hour for jump training. Yes men, today is the day you finally become paratroopers."

The plane spluttered as it journeyed on. Every so often it would dip, making Emily want to throw up. She wished that Gene was here. She didn't want to do this alone.

The instructor got up off his seat and called out,

"Stand up! Hook up!"

Emily got shakily to her feet and attached the hook of her parachute to the thin metal cord than ran above her head.

"Check equipment!"

Luz was standing in front of her, and she frantically began checking his parachute and webbing. She felt Webster behind her, doing the same to her own.

"Sound off for equipment check!"

"Nine okay!"

"Eight okay!" There was a pause. Emily felt Webster nudge her.

"Uh… Seven okay!"

She didn't hear the rest of the voices, all she could do was think about the plane… and the ground underneath.

Emily watched the red light at the front of the plane, beside the door, blink green, and felt her face pale as she watched Toye hurl himself out of the plane. Soon enough, almost too soon, it was Emily's turn. She looked up at the instructor.

"You ready?" he asked. All she could do was nod. "Go! Go! Go!"

Apart from the initial jerk from the prop blast, Emily's drift towards the ground was gentle. Once she managed to peel her eyes open, she was amazed by the view. She could see miles upon miles of rolling hills and fields. The wind ruffled her, now, shoulder length hair underneath her helmet.

Emily's feet came down gently, more gently than she had expected, and she looked up at the plane she had just leapt out of.

God, that was high, she thought. She looked round to see Webster landing gently behind her. He looked as pale as a sheet, and his legs were shaking. "Hey, Web, you alright?" All he could do was nod. She smiled and started unhooking her parachute.

"Hi-yo silver!" she heard Guarnere exclaim, and the clamour that followed was joyous.

"Em, you wanna drink of something?"

Emily turned round to face her closest friend.

"Yeah, just water, thanks," she smiled.

"Okay," he smiled back.

She watched him walk towards the counter, where Joe Toye was slumped over a half-empty glass. She saw Eugene laugh as he talked to Luz.

Emily loved the way Gene laughed, the way his eyes lit up when he smiled, the way he said her name. Emily just… loved Gene. They were inseparable, and she admired everything about him.

"Thanks, George," he chuckled, and he turned and started walking back towards Emily, her glass in his right hand, his own in his other.

Emily snapped out of her daydream just as he reached the table. He raised his glass in a toast.

"Currahee," he grinned.

"Currahee," Emily grinned back.

The room was quiet, and Eugene Roe couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned restlessly in his bunk, but to no avail. This is useless, he thought. He heaved himself out of bed and went to sit beside a window. The moon shone brightly and the stars smiled down on him. His heart ached with longing for Louisiana. He exhaled softly and looked up at the same moon he'd seen so many times out his bedroom window.

"Gene?" He turned round to see Emily sitting up in her bed. "What's wrong?" she said sleepily, rubbing her eyes.

"Nothing… I just can't sleep." Emily pulled herself out of her bed and sat down gently beside Gene.

"You sure you're okay?" she asked. "You just seem kinda upset…"

"It's my kid brother's birthday today. He's just a little younger than you." he interrupted.

"Oh, Gene…" Emily took his hand in hers. "Do you miss him?" He nodded. Emily stared out the window up at the stars. Gene looked at her intently.

"What about you, Em? Do you miss your family?" Emily stared down at her feet. "You never talk about them."

When Emily looked up at Gene, her eyes were filled with tears. Seeing her so upset almost broke Gene's heart.

"They hate me." His brow creased in confusion.

"What? Emily… they don't hate you…"

"They do," she interrupted. "They really do." The tears started running down her face.

"But… but why?" Emily sniffed and looked back at Gene.

"Because I killed my baby brother." Gene stared at her in disbelief. Emily had never spoken about her family before.

"Emily… I…"

"I was seven. Caught the measles off John Redwood, a kid who lived just down the street from us. I was alright, because I was strong, and healthy. But Tommy… he was only four, and had a bad heart. He caught it and… and…" Emily started sobbing, shoulders heaving, her face buried in her hands. Gene wrapped his arms around her and pulled her onto his lap. He rocked her gently and whispered soothingly into her ear. Emily leant her head against his chest, and Gene stroked her hair.

"Emily, that wasn't your fault…" She pulled away and looked at him in anger.

"Yes it was, Gene, of course it was!" she sneered.

"It wasn't your fault he got sick!" He took her face in his hands, and ran his thumb along her cheek. "It wasn't your fault."

"But my parents blamed me for it. Tommy was their favourite, they'd always wanted a boy, and I was only a disappointment when I came along. They'd have rather I'd died instead of Tommy. They never forgave me."

"Oh, Em…" Gene's heart truly broke inside for her.

"That's why I signed up… to get away…"

"Away?" She looked at her feet.

"Never mind, it doesn't matter…"

"Emily! To get away from what?" asked Gene sharply.

"My… my father…" A tear ran down her face, and she closed her eyes. She began sobbing gently again. "I had to… I had to get away…"

Gene had never felt so angry. If I ever meet her father, he thought,

I'll kill him.